Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-02-28
3Jlouths' Column,
Johnnie

|
and many grown people too. There
they drank, and quarrelled and suf-
fered together. Poor Johnnie. He
was only about six years old, ano
his father and mother both gave
themselves up to drinking. His food
was poor and scanty, of course, but
sometimes when he had enough,
such as it was, and could 60 cut in
to the warm sunshine, he felt happy.
There was a little spring of glad
ness in his heart, and though it was
often hidden, it sometimes dubbed
up over every trouble.
Then, too, Johnnie had a pet, and
that was a comfort. 1t was little
black, shabby, scrawny kitten, that
he Rugged up under his ragged jack
ct and shared his bread with. 1t
was a wonder how that little kitten
lived. 1t led a charmed life GER
tainly, among those rude boys in the
cellar. Johnnie took it with him
on his walks, and it slept with him
at night.
One bright day in winter Johnnie
Rugged up his kitten, buttoned his
ragged jacket over it, and went for
| a walk 1t was near Christmas, but
he did not know it, did not know
what the word Christmas meant
But he saw how gay the shops
looked, and gazed into the windows
with eager eyes. He was looking
into a candy store when he was
pushed one side by crowd of larg
er boys.
ssHello its little Jack Horner,"
said one of them. "You'd like some
of them goodies, wouldn't you, SON
ny? Well, put in your thumb and
help yourself"
Johnnie's little pale face looked
up sadly, then he smiled at the no.
ton.
The boy who had spoken was
seized with a fit of generosity.
"Come, fellows" he said, ''let's
spend the penny in candy for Jack .
The penny was one they had found
in the street, and were not quite
certain to whom it should belong.
SO the boys took Jack in and treat
ed him to a stick Of candy, at which
each afterwards took a bite.
"And say, Jacky," said his
friend, as they all walked away to-
gether, "Tn give you something
| else. Tomorrow Christmas, you
know"
''What's that? p said Johnnie.
''What a little Ounce !" said anoth-
er boy.
''You shut up'' said Johnnie's
new friend. "Here's a ticket for
YOU. The teacher at the mission
said l could send boy there to get
a dinner
"What do they give your" asked
Johnnie.
''Oh, turkey, and potatoes, and
nuts and apples and all sorts of
goodies
Johnnie'e eyes sparlsled and he
grasped the ticket while receiving
directions as to what to do, and
where he should find the mission.
Poor little Johnnie had no supper
that night and no breakfast the next
morning, and by the time he was
to 90 he felt faint and weak.
There was a crowd of children
round the mission house door, which
was not yet opened. Johnnie edged
his way to a corner of the doorstep
and sat down, feeling too weak to
stand, He sat there still when the
door opened, and the crowd of hum
CRY children rushed in past him. Poor
Johnnie was growing very faint, but
he noticed the smell of the dinner
how good it was. Then a sweet
voice spoke to him, and he lifted his
eyes to the most beautiful face he
had ever seen.
''Come in,' said the lady. "Don't
be afraid"
But as Johnnie tottered to his feet
she called to a gentleman by the
door, ''What is the matter with this
poor boy do you think, Mr.. Steele?''
Mr.. Steele and Johnnie's friend
of the day before, who came out to-
gether.
Shes hungry, l guess, said Bob.
"He didn't have breakfast or supper
neither
The gentleman lifted the boy and
carried him in. There were the long
tables with their rows of plates, a
chunk of bread by each plate, and
a boy in front of it.
The blessing was asked, and the
plates were filled beautifully with
turkey and potato drenched with
gravy. and plate was brought to
little Johnnie as he sat in a chair by
his friends side.
How good it tasted, and how kind
" the lady talked. She found how ig-
norant he was, and told him the
meaning of Christmas, and then
brought him pretty card with a
verse on it, which he should say to
her, for he had promised to come to the
same house on Sunday.
Oh, happy feast When it wes
all eaten to the nuts and candy, Mr..
Steele came up and said: